Article 15 Military Defense Lawyer

What is an Article 15?

An Article 15 is considered non-punitive in nature, and consists of a decision reached by your commanding officer in any minor incident of which you are involved. Basically, an Article 15 affords you the opportunity to defend your position in less serious
matters and present your side of the story and any supporting evidence to your commanding officer, without further involvement at the court-martial level of the military justice system. You are agreeing, in this process, to allow your commander to reach
both a decision and any resulting punishment without further military or court-martial involvement. You are not allowed to have legal counsel physically represent you in this matter, however you are allowed to obtain advice and guidance, as well as
request a court-martial if you do not agree with your commanding officer’s decision.

Some of the benefits of agreeing to an Article 15 process are that you avoid the lengthy and costly process of a court-martial, and you will be exposing yourself to much less severe punishments at the Article 15 level than at the court-martial level.
You will also be allowed to remain in active military service after an Article 15 – something that may or may not happen after a court-martial as one of the punishments available at court-martial is a discharge of either a punitive or administrative
nature.

As an experienced military criminal defense attorney John L. Calcagni will be able to offer you advice specific to your unique situation and circumstances, and provide you with the guidance you will need to face your Article 15 alone, as well as help
you to make the difficult decision of whether or not you should accept the ruling of your commanding officer or proceed to the higher court-martial level for adjudication. Mr. Calcagni is a former military prosecutor in the U.S. Army JAG Corps and Special
Assistant U.S. Attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice. He is admitted to practice in the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces and the U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals, as well as the state and federal courts in Rhode Island,
Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, and Florida.

Even in the seemingly straight-forward process of an Article 15 there are considerations that need to be addressed regarding the type of Article 15, and which decision will be in your best interest should you choose to allow the process.

If you are facing an Article 15, contact The Law Office of John L. Calcagni III today for a free consultation at (401) 351-5100.

Criminal Defense

Military Defense

Reviews

John Calcagni is the best of the best. I retained him multiple times to represent me in various military matters, to include administrative separation. John is an expert in his field. He is knowledge, professional, caring and aggressive. He has obtained nothing but top results and success on my behalf. I recommend him to anyone in need of legal representation. If you want the number one lawyer in your corner, John is your man.

Andrew Michaud

13:21 21 Sep 18

I had the pleasure of working with John and his team this past year and I couldn't be happier with the service I received. John and his team were professional, courteous and most of all incredibly effective. If I ever need legal services again I will definitely engage John Calcagni and his outstanding team again.

MARY DEBELLO

18:23 11 Sep 18

I highly recommend John Calcagni and his team. My daughter attends college in RI and we live in NY. She found herself in trouble and was arrested on a Disorderly Conduct matter. Our good friend is an attorney in NY and when we realized he could not represent us in RI he found a colleague who highly recommended John. From the first conversation with John, who responded to my initial message immediately, I knew we would be in good hands. He answered all questions and explained the process in as much detail as needed. He was very confident that he would get the charges dismissed. He worked closely with my daughter (his client) while keeping in touch with us, the parents. John was always attainable to us via email, text or phone call and took his time to be sure we understood each step of the case. John delivered the outcome he promised and exactly what we were looking for, we couldn't be more pleased. I would not hesitate to recommend him and (god forbid) I need assistance with the law in RI again, he would be the first call I make!! Thanks John for everything you did for our daughter!!! Mary and Wayne DeBello

Jen Marie

22:33 23 Jun 18

I don’t know where to begin! When I first met with John, I immediately felt like I was in good hands. He is charismatic, funny and really takes the time to get to know you and get a feel for your case. He was very detail oriented and thorough and worked with me for almost two years. Through this exhausting and stressful process, he made me feel comfortable and made sure I understood what was going on every step of the way. I am so thankful I went with John and would absolutely, without a doubt recommend him to anyone who needs help.

John Madden

18:11 05 Sep 18

I'm an active duty soldier and I got a DUI. I deserved the penalties and reprimands but I did not deserve to loose everything. When I was notified that I would be facing a QMP board for separation I knew I had to do all I could to fight back against it for myself and for my family. I am extremely grateful for John and his team. I had no idea about the list of standards I was up against that the board would use to determine weather or not I could keep my job and continue to support my family. Mr. Calcagni systematically itemized and proved beyond a doubt that I met and or exceeded each standard giving the board a clear picture that I still hold value to the Army. He took my personal side and my professional side along with all the legal points and drafted a rebuttal that saved my career. Had I attempted to go against the board on my own I would have surely been denied. Not because I deserved it, but because it is a battle that soldiers are not equipped to deal with on their own and the Army provides zero support. It's terrifying to think back about all that I was up against that I didn't even know about. John and his team come highly recommended and I can't thank them enough for leveling the playing field and placing the control of my career back into my hands. My family and I are forever grateful.

Mr. Calcagni is an absolute LIFE SAVER!!! He is genuinely one of the most intelligent people I have ever met in my life! He masterfully saved my husband's naval career TWICE when we thought all hope was lost at a command where bias and dishonesty rule. My husband and I are forever in his debt and there is not enough we could do or say to show our gratitude. He has a big heart and he fought hard for our family. We would recommend him a thousand times over!!!!